Hand corn thinner and weeder.



G. M. HANGER.

HAND CORN THINNBR AND WEBDER. APPLICATION vFILED JULYlS, 1908.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE MINER HANGER, OF BRIDGEWATR, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR TO DANIEL S.

HAND CORN THINNER AND VEEDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 14, 1909.

Application led July 13, 1908. Serial No. 443,224.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE M. HANGER, a citizen of t-he United States,residing at Bridgewater, in the county of Rockingham and State ofVirginia, have invented a new and useful Hand Corn Thinner and VVeeder,of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to a hand corn thinner and weeder.

The object of the present invention is to provide a simple and eiiicienthand corn thinner and weeder of great strength and durability, adaptedto be cheaply manufactured, and capable of being conveniently operatedwith one hand for thinning corn, pulling weeds and analogous operations.

Vith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in theconstruction and novel combination of parts hereinafter' fullydescribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and pointed out inthe claims hereto appended; it being understood that various changes inthe form, proportion, size and minor details of construction, within thescope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from thespirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing z-Figure 1 is a perspective view of a hand corn thinnerand weeder, constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is afront elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view,taken substantially on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a detail view,illustrating the manner of attaching the upper end of the connectingwire to the operating handle. Fig. 5 is a detail view, illustrating amodification otl the operating mechanism for closing the laterallymovable sides of the corn thinner and weeder.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawing.

The hand corn thinner and weeder is provided wit-h a pair of laterallyseparable outwardly springing resilient sides 1, adapted to openautomatically and provided at their lower ends with straight Hat jaws 2and 2'd and united at their upper ends to form a shank or stem 3,extending upwardly from the sides and carrying a horizontally disposedrearwardly extending handle 4, The jaws are formed integral with thesides 1, and the jaw 2, which is extended beyond the jaw 2 to forni aprojecting blade, consists of an oblong blade, tapered in thickness toenable it to readily penetrate the soil. The

blade 2, which is approximately wedgeshaped, is tapered downwardly inthickness from its upper to its lower end and is located at a pointintermediate of the ends of the Aother blade 2a. The projecting portionof the blade 2a enables the device to be easily voperated with greataccuracy to pull or pick `young corn, or other plants or weeds forthinning out or removing such plants. The flat inner opposite faces ofthe jaws are adapted to securely grip the plants.

The lower portions of the sides are arranged at a slight angle when thejaws are in contact with each other, as illustrated in Fig. 2 of thedrawing, and the jaws are slightly tapered in cross section to permitthem to tit fiat against each other. The sides or members 1 are providedat the lower yportion with relatively short substantially V-shaped bends6, located at a pointintermediate of the ends of the sides or membersand extending outwardly in opposite directions and forming lowerdownwardly converging portions 7, which are detachably embraced andengaged -by hook-shaped terminals 8 of a slide 9. The slide 9 isconstructed of a single piece of metal bent to form the hook-shapedterminals and curved slightly between the same to extend into the spacebetween the V-shaped bends, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 3 of thedrawing. The slide is movable upwardly and downwardly on the lowerdownwardly converging portions o the V-shaped bends to close the jawsand Vto permit the same to open. When the slide is moved upward on thedownwardly convei'ging portion 7, the aws are drawn together and as soonas the slide is released, the resiliency of the sides or members 1 willforce the slide downwardly and automatically open the jaws.

The slide is provided with a central perforation 10 to receive the lowerend of a connecting wire 11, extending from the slide 9 to an operatinglever 12, located adjacent to the handle s and curved in cross sectionto present a'lower rounded or convex face to the hand of the operator.The shank or stem 3 is provided below the horizontal handle l with asubstantially U-shaped bend 13, and the lever 12 has its inner end 14bifurcated to straddle the bend 13 and pivoted to the saine by a pin 15,or other suitable :tas-

tening device. The upper end of the wire 11 is secured to the lever 12in perforations 1G thereof, but any other suitable connecting means maybe employed for connecting the operating lever with the slide. Theoperating lever and the rearwardly extending handle 4. are adapted to begrasped simultaneously with one hand, and the operator by tightening hisgrip on the device draws the operating lever v12 upwardly toward thehandle 1 and closes the jaws.

The upper end of the shank or stem is enlarged to form an ear 17, havinga central perforation for the reception of a screw 18 of the handle f1,which is secured to the ear by a nut 19, arranged on the screw 18 andengaging the ear, as clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

In Fig. 5 of the drawing is illustrated a modification of the invention,in which the operating mechanism for vclosing the laterally movablesides is equipped with antifriction rollers 2O for reducing the frictionto a minimum. The rollers, which are arranged to engage the exterior ofthe lower portions of the V-shaped bends G, are located at the ends of asubstantially V-shaped slide or connection, composed of invertedV-shaped sides 21, spaced apart to receive the sides of the corn thinnerand weeder, and connected at their apexes with a rod 22, which isdesigned to extend to an operating lever similar to that heretoforedescribed. The rollers 20, which are located between the lower ends ofthe inclined portions of the sides 21,'are mounted on suitable pins orpivots, and the lower end of the rod 22 is bent at right angles andextended through perforations of the sides of the slide or connection;and when the latter is moved upward the corn thinner and weeder will beclosed as before explained.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent 1. A device of the class described includinga pair of resilientv automatically vopening sides provided at anintermediate point with relatively short oppositely dis osed V-shapedbends and having jaws, a s ide embracing and engaging the said bends andmovable 3. A device of the class described includ#v ing a pair ofresilient automatically opening sides having jaws and provided withVangularly related portions7 a slide having substantially hook-shapedterminals detachably engaging and embracing the angularly relatedportions, and operating mechanism connected with the slide. 1

at. A device of the class described including resilient sides providedwithjaws and having V-shaped bends located at a point intermediate ofthe ends of the sides, said Y j sides being also provided with anintegral stem having a bend, a handle fixed to the upper end of thestem, a lever pivoted to the bend thereof, a slide engaging the V-shapedbends of the said sides, and means for con-f necting the slide with thelever.

5. A device of the class described including a pair of laterally movablesides provided at their lower ends with straight flat integral jawshaving straight side edgesand V straight lower end edges and presentinginn ner flat lengaging faces to each other, one of the jaws beingrelatively short and tapered in thickness from its upper to its lowerend,

and the other jaw being oblong and extended a considerable :distancebeyond both ends of the relatively short jaw and forming a lowerprojecting blade, and means for operating the jaws.

In testimony, that I claim the foregoing 'j i as my own, I have heretoaftixed'my signature in the presenceo-f two witnesses.

GEORGE MINER HANGER. IVitnesses J. S. NIswANDnR, G. RICHARD BERLIN.

